About
Length5.5 mi
ShapeLoop
DifficultyModerate
Elevation gain1,200 ft up
Typical time3 hr 15 min
TrailheadLaurel Creek Road
SurfaceForest path and old road
Best seasonApril to June for wildflowers, mid-October for fall colour. High elevations are cold and icy from November to March.
DogsNot allowed
AccessibilityThis trail includes dirt and loose gravel with rocky sections, protruding roots, water crossings, and steep grades.
What you'll see 🌼 Wildflowers🌲 Old growth

Overview This loop hike links three shorter trails sections, offering hikers a chance to experience the biodiversity of Bote Mountain at various elevations and temperatures. Climbing over 1,200 feet across 6.9 miles (11.10 km), hikers will experience the rhododendron-lined thickets on Finley Cane Trail, the ridgeline views atop Bote Mountain, and a cool descent beneath the mixed hardwoods and tulip poplar trees on Lead Cove trail. This all-season loop provides wildflowers in the spring, shade in the summer, leaf-lined vistas in the fall, and unobstructed views to the east and west of the Bote Mountain ridgeline in the winter. Located only minutes away from Cades Cove, this loop trail is perfect for hikers looking to step away from the crowds and onto a trail steeped in both history and elevation. Length 6.9 miles (11.1 km) loop 2.5 miles from Finley Cove Trailhead to Bote Mountain Trail Junction 2.4 miles from Bote Mountain Trail Junction to Lead Cove Trail Junction 1.95 miles from Lead Cove Trail Junction to Finley Cane Trailhead Elevation Gain 1,215 feet Parking & Trailhead Head West on Laurel Creek Road, towards Cades Cove, and parallel park on the left (south side) at one of the two paved pull-offs available near the Finley Cane Trailhead. These pull-offs service three trails: Turkeypen Ridge Trail, Finley Cane Trail and Lead Cove Trail. If you park on the opposite side of the road, be cautious as traffic can be heavy. Don't forget your parking tag . Nearest Restroom Cades Cove Picnic Area Alternate Hikes West Prong Trail: 5.4 miles (8.7 km) roundtrip

Tips
Bote Mountain got its name because the Cherokee workers who built the road voted on the route and had no "v" sound. Good wildflowers in Lead Cove.
Location

Laurel Creek Road

Other Hikers
No one has logged this trail yet.
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